Crayfish habitat map. Where are crayfish found? Crayfish: description, habitats, nutrition. The larger the cancer, the less injury it will cause.

Before you go fishing, you need to decide where there are crayfish in the river. It is useless to ask crayfishers; they are unlikely to give you their fishing grounds, so you will have to determine where crayfish are found on your own.

In order for crayfish fishing to be stable, you need to know some signs of the habitats of these animals, i.e., where it is found, for this you need to have even a superficial understanding of their habits and preferences.

The movement of crayfish depends on the illumination of the water. Better time for catching crayfish it is evening and night. If the water is clear, you won't catch much.

The activity of crayfish can be influenced by a variety of factors, and you can catch them even when it’s drizzling.

Under no circumstances should you catch crayfish during a thunderstorm; it can be life-threatening.

Preferred habitats

It is definitely difficult to answer the exact question of where to catch crayfish, but one of the fundamental conditions is that the water must be clean. If it is highly polluted and there is a lack of oxygen, most likely you will not be able to find a single cancer. As a result, it is better to fish for crayfish in a river than on a lake or stock where there is no current and the water quickly stagnates.

Crayfish are found at different depths. For example, in some reservoirs it is enough to go knee-deep into the water, while in others catching crayfish is only possible at three-meter depths.

Crayfish really like the rocky bottom, primarily because there is a lot of natural hiding there, which they love so much.

Likewise, crayfish fishing can be successful in places where the bottom is clayey and crayfish have the opportunity to dig holes for themselves. But the bank should be steep and the place should be shaded. The usual length of the hole is about half a meter, but sometimes it can be a meter or even more, and it is very difficult to get the crayfish located there. There is no need to try to find crayfish on a sandbank. Although sometimes young individuals appear there, this is rather an exception. Also, reservoirs with a silted bottom or dense vegetation are not suitable for crayfish.

Setting up a place to catch crayfish

Let's take a closer look at the question of where to catch crayfish. These animals are found in various rivers, lakes, ponds, creeks and even streams. The main indicator that there are crayfish in this place is cleanliness and even a small flow of water. Probably, it would not occur to anyone to try to catch decent specimens in a small reservoir; this activity is not only futile, but also stupid. Catching good specimens is only possible on fairly large lakes or rivers.

Video “Crayfish Habitats”

About the habitats of freshwater crustaceans.

The main signs that there may be crayfish in this place:

First of all, pay attention to the shores. They should be abrupt. The depth near the shore should be from half a meter to 2 meters.
The soil in such places can be either peat or muddy.
Crayfish try to locate their burrows closer to the bottom of the reservoir, often twenty to thirty centimeters from the bottom.
A rocky bottom is also a good sign. Especially if there are large enough rocks under which the crayfish can hide.

In places where there are boulders and the bottom is a little silted, the catch can be much better than under cliffs. Especially in the morning. Sometimes it’s enough just to walk through such a place and collect half a bucket of crayfish. They usually hide under rocks near the bottom.

Fishing conditions

It is difficult to give a definite answer to the question of where is the best place to catch crayfish, since it depends on many factors and even on the time of year. Once the season begins, fishing will largely depend on water temperature. If it is warm, then the crayfish has time to molt before the start of their fishing season, and this is a very good sign.

With a prolonged spring and late arrival of heat, molting in crustaceans ends late, and, as is known, crayfish begin to move along the bottom only after the shell hardens. In such a situation, you need to be a very experienced and skilled crayfish fisherman in order to reap a decent harvest.

How fast do crayfish move along the bottom? big influence provides illumination. If the water is dark and light has difficulty passing through its thickness, crayfish traps should be placed in the evening, or better yet, even earlier, from 3 p.m. Best fishing in dark water happens in evening time, and to the night is coming on the decline, because by this time the crayfish become noticeably more passive.

IN clear water, there is no need to start fishing early. Wait until evening hours. The best fishing in such water is around midnight, and often later. With the coming complete darkness crayfish begin another period, but not as intense as the evening one.

In cloudy weather, you can start catching crayfish a little earlier than in sunny weather.

Typically, the best fishing occurs during warm nights or when it is raining or drizzling. If the night is cold and foggy or during a full moon, the catch is much worse. Equally bad catches and thunderstorms.

Possible baits for crayfish

Cancers love varied diet Therefore, use lard (preferably not fresh), chicken liver, pieces of fresh fish or spoiled meat as bait. The flesh of shellfish (barley and toothless) is equally suitable, and frog meat is also good.

Toothless is one of the best baits

The best baits are those that have a nasty (to the human sense of smell) odor. It may seem strange, but it is this that most attracts crustaceans. For bait, fish and frogs from the same reservoir in which you are going to catch crayfish are better suited.

Best fishing spots

Under favorable conditions, crayfish spread and, as a result, are well caught in a wide variety of water bodies. This and big rivers and small streams. But rivers are, of course, preferable. As we said above, crayfish love a hard rocky or clay bottom, because there they either find or make shelters for themselves.

To make it clearer, let's summarize.

You will not find crayfish in the following places

muddy bottom;
sandy or rocky shores;
shallows;
clean bottom.

Crayfish are found in the following places

rocky bottom;
hard bottom;
near coastal slopes;
in coastal holes;
in natural depressions;
at the boundaries of soft and hard bottom soil;
at abandoned rocky piers;
under the rhizomes.

The most successful fishing for crayfish is at shallow depths of half a meter. The entrance to crayfish shelters is usually hidden under stones and snags. This applies to catching large specimens. But small crustaceans, on the contrary, prefer shallows, where they hide under branches, leaves and pebbles near the shore.

Best time to catch crayfish

In many ways, the activity of freshwater crayfish depends on the intensity of water illumination. If the water is dark and does not flow well Sun rays, then crayfish fishing should begin in the early evening hours, i.e. install gear from about fifteen o'clock. The best catches in such places are in the evening. By night, crayfish become less mobile, and fishing may stop completely.

In clean water that transmits light well, it is better to start fishing later in the evening. In such water, crayfish are active not only until midnight, but also at night. After midnight, the crayfish again go in search of food, but less actively than in the evening.

Very often, many other factors influence crayfish fishing. For example, if the weather is cloudy, then you need to start catching crayfish earlier. Rainy weather increases the activity of crayfish, which means they are better caught. Dark nights and warm weather contribute to improved fishing. If there are heavy rains accompanied by a thunderstorm, then at such a time hopes for a good catch are unlikely to come true. Light nights, coolness and fog also negatively affect the activity of crayfish searching for food.

This video shows where river crustaceans live and how to catch them in these places.

Crayfish are found in almost all rivers, and larger specimens live in reservoirs with a sandy bottom. They are very tasty and are also used as bait for fishing.

The following types are known:

thick-fingered;
narrow-toed (this species has long and narrow claws);
broad-fingered (has powerful and short claws).

External structure of crayfish

The body of the arthropod is covered with greenish-brown chitin, which protects the soft parts of the animal. The body consists of a massive cephalothorax and abdomen, which in males is narrow, and in females it is wide. Head crayfish cone-shaped elongated and ends with a sharp awl. It has movable eyes on both sides. A pair of short antennae act as organs of touch.

The olfactory organs are two long mustache. The mouth opening is located at the bottom of the head, and at the top it is surrounded by the lip and jaws, which are necessary for digesting food. Crayfish have eight pairs of limbs. The front three are short jaws that help the arthropod feed. The rest are used for movement, three pairs of them with claws, which are the most important weapon. Thanks to them, the cancer defends itself or, conversely, attacks the victim.

Reproduction

The gestation period for crayfish eggs is long. Two pairs of anterior abdominal legs participate in reproduction. Fertilized eggs are attached to them. Starting in autumn, the female wears it all winter and spring, and only in June-July does the offspring appear.

Shedding

At this time, the chitinous cover is replaced, the gills and digestive organs are renewed. Young animals change their appearance more often than adults. Molting occurs in the summer, when the pond warms up. In the first and second years of arthropod life, it is carried out several times. This process lasts several minutes, usually no more than 15, open place. After changing the cover, the arthropod hides in a hole so that the shell hardens and becomes stronger.

What do crayfish eat?

Both soft and hard plants are eaten. A favorite delicacy is the rhizome and stem of reeds, sedges, and reeds. During the day they eat food, the weight of which is equal to 2.5% of the total weight of the arthropod. Crayfish also happily consume animal food:

water worms;
insect larvae;
small snails;
tadpoles;
small fish.

The nutrition of arthropods depends on age. The larvae prefer mainly animal food, which accounts for about 80% of the diet. The young, which reach a length of 2 mm, love chironomids and daphnia. When they reach two years of age, daphnia leave the diet. Crayfish, 2 cm long, begin to consume the larvae. In the future, as they grow, the consumption of amphipods increases. They do not swallow their prey, but bite it off in small pieces and slowly send it into the oral cavity.

Habitat

For comfortable stay crayfish require certain conditions:

fresh water body;
oxygen concentration must be at least 5 mg per liter of water;
pH 6.5 and higher;
sufficient amount of lime in habitats (in otherwise the growth of crayfish is significantly reduced);
hard rocky bottom with low silt content.

Where do crayfish live? River brethren prefer to live on the boundaries of hard and soft bottoms, in coastal holes or slopes of coastlines at a depth of one and a half to three meters. The best places for permanent housing are captured by large and strong males. Females and weak males live in less adapted conditions. Young animals are in shallow water near the shore, under snags and stones. Crayfish are hermits and each of them has a shelter in which it hides from its relatives.

Hunting for arthropods

Where is the best place to catch crayfish? In clean rivers with warm water, enriched with oxygen. In some reservoirs you can catch crayfish at a shallow depth (50 cm), and in others - from two to three meters. In rivers with a clay bottom, they dig holes about a meter long. Arthropods also find many shelters in places with a rocky bottom. In the first month of summer, crayfish with a strong shell can be found if the spring is warm. In case of cool or cold summer, hunting should be postponed until autumn. Where is it useless to catch crayfish? In shallow water, in reservoirs with a sandy or muddy bottom covered with thick algae.

Best time to fish

In some regions of the country, crayfish fishing is limited or completely prohibited. They cannot be hunted during the period of bearing future offspring. In some areas they install permissible size cancer, upon reaching which they can be caught.

A complete ban on these actions exists in the Moscow region and directly in Moscow itself. Therefore, you don’t have to be interested in the question of where crayfish are found in the Moscow region. During the fishing period, no more than three traps or crayfish traps with a diameter of 80 cm and a cell pitch of about 22 mm can be used per person. Hunting by hand by diving or wading is prohibited. For illegal fishing in each region there is a fine, the amount of which varies in regions.

Places where you can find arthropods

Mastering the knowledge of where crayfish are found is a prerequisite for a rich catch. There is an opinion that they live in rivers with standing water, as well as in swamps. However, these arthropods prefer clean flowing water bodies with gentle currents.

In each of them there are areas that these animals have chosen for permanent residence:

Coastline with stones. This is the most attractive place for crayfish to be found, as they can live near the surface of the earth under cobblestones. They build burrows at the bottom of the reservoir and hide in them during the molting period.
Coast with cliffs. In cases where the depth in the river varies, and under the coastline can reach two meters, crayfish settle in these places. A prerequisite is the presence of peat or silt on the bottom surface of the reservoir.
Backwaters with snags- these are places where crayfish are found in large numbers. It is there that you can find quite large specimens.
Sandy bottom of the reservoir. In these places, hunting crayfish is very easy. There is little algae, the bottom is transparent and clearly visible. A successful hunt awaits everyone in these bodies of water.
Shell rock. The bottom dotted with them and the presence of areas with reeds indicate the presence of crayfish in these places.
Holes and holes in the ground. In places with steep banks, small holes with a diameter of about five centimeters can be observed. Crayfish live in them.
Banks in water. The presence of beer bottles and other containers in the water are places where crayfish are found, they hide in them. When fishing, you should check each of them.

Conditions for quality catch

Well ventilated and illuminated pond. In a murky and dark environment, crayfish will move very quickly and be difficult to catch. When hunting in such conditions, special traps are set at noon and checked in the morning.
A certain time of day. How to catch crayfish in the summer? daytime arthropods hide and are not active. During this period, you can find those individuals that are not very well hidden and catch them with your hands. After sunset, crayfish begin to peak in activity. This time is considered ideal for setting traps. Some prefer to hunt them at night, using flashlights to search for them. When hunting in the warm season, you will find a rich catch. In late autumn and winter, crayfish live in their burrows and do not leave them until the onset of hot days.

Hunting for arthropods

How to catch crayfish in the summer or at other times? First you need to find the body of water in which they live.

Most beaches have places where reeds grow; as a rule, people do not swim there and do not scare the crayfish. Slowly swim along the reeds and carefully inspect the bottom, as they hide well in the reeds.
Catching crayfish in quiet places with tree roots and snags is a real pleasure, the main thing is to know the bottom. They hunt them, they must resolutely not do it sudden movements. Large individuals usually live in such places. They are quite slow and do not present any difficulties for experienced catchers.
In rivers with a rocky bottom, there are many natural burrows for crayfish, in which they often hide from danger. It is better to grab them by the whiskers than by the claws. Do not put your hands into the holes, there is a possibility of injuring them. There are known cases when large stones crushed the upper limbs of catchers.
In reservoirs where the bottom is strewn with remnants of reeds, as well as river mollusks, crayfish are frequent guests. You must swim carefully, examining the bottom. Be careful as you can easily injure yourself on the clam shells.
The best place for both beginners and professionals is the sandy river bottom.
You need to be very careful when catching crayfish in a hole. If you find a place where the depth is two to three meters near the shore, then you can see several passages under the water. Live crayfish in such burrows are very rare; these burrows belong to musk rats. Crayfish houses are small, up to five centimeters high and eight centimeters wide, depending on the size of the arthropod.
My favorite place is broken bottles with the whole bottom left in them. Most jars and bottles contain crayfish. There are quite a lot of such containers in almost any body of water.

If you are not interested in hunting for crayfish on your own, you can buy one. When choosing, you should pay attention to the tail. In a living rakon, it is pressed tightly to the body.

Crayfish are as desirable prey as fish. They can be used both as food and as bait for fishing tackle. But catching them is not so easy. First you need to know where to look for them, their habitats, and the location of their burrows. But even when they were found, it was not so easy to get them out. Powerful claws can injure the hand and discourage the desire to mine them for a long time. Next, we will help you figure out where, how and when to get best catch and stay only with good impressions.

Where to catch crayfish

Contrary to popular belief, these arthropods prefer to live in fairly clean water in rivers or large lakes, where the water has at least a slight current. If you are trying to find them in the still water of a small pond, it is a waste of time. But even in large bodies of water they can be difficult to catch. To avoid returning home empty-handed, pay attention to the following habitats:

A steep bank, where the depth will immediately reach from half a meter to two. In this case, the bottom should preferably be muddy or peaty. They set up their homes 20-30 cm above its surface.
The rocky shore is also favorite place habitat of crayfish. Very often they hide under large boulders and their numbers can significantly exceed the concentrations of their relatives living near cliffs. In the wee hours you can easily with bare hands collect a dozen or two large specimens in such places. You need to look for them at the base of the stones, at the very bottom, since natural burrows usually form there, into which they hide in case of danger.
Pools with snags are a great place for a big catch, as long as you know the bottom or the water is clear enough that you can clearly see where you are stepping. Usually they contain old, large individuals.
Shell rock. Here the bottom is densely strewn with the remains of mollusk shells and vegetation, mainly reeds, among which arthropods hide. You need to be very careful not to miss your prey or cut yourself on the sharp edges of the shells. It is best to carefully inspect the surface of the reservoir’s soil, walking in special shoes with thick soles and protected socks.
Sandy bottom - has the most suitable conditions for fishing by both beginners and experienced fishermen. Fine sand prevents the water from becoming cloudy due to sudden movements, and most often there are few plants.
Burrows. Most often they are very small - up to 5 cm in height and no more than 10 in width. If you find larger ones on a steep bank, it is quite possible that its owner is not entirely harmless. It’s not worth diving near them, much less putting your hands into them.
Bottles and cans from canned food - almost all of them are not empty, but are homes for crustaceans. Required condition The suitability of such housing is the presence of one bottom. You can find large numbers of similar houses in almost any river or lake. If you come across such a container, then you need to lift it with the open part towards you, so that the cancer does not have time to escape.

Features of fishing depending on the choice of location

If you choose a pond with a lot of snags, you need to slowly and methodically inspect every meter.

Move carefully in search of prey, most often it has a dark brown color. These are large old crayfish that move slowly and are not difficult to catch. Young animals are also found, but much less frequently.

On a rocky bottom, moving around in search is much easier, but catching itself is difficult because the creature can injure your hand with its claws if you are not careful. The safest thing to do is to pull it out by the antennae. They always stick out from the shelter, even if it is disturbed. You can also lift the boulder, but as carefully as possible, without sudden movements, so as not to muddy the water. Otherwise, the cancer will have time to slip away and hide somewhere else.

If the bottom is strewn with shells or reed leaves, move slowly so as not to cut your feet or get entangled in the thickets. You need to inspect the bottom very carefully, as crayfish are well camouflaged. Their color varies from gray-green to brown.

Sand covering and pure water They don’t require any special extraction methods; it’s enough just to look closely, looking for the next individual. You can take them by the back with your bare hands.

In almost any river, at the bends, the bank is steep, this is where you need to look for minks and establish nests. On flat banks the number of these creatures is very small. At night, they come straight to the shore, and already half a meter from it they can be pulled out. If you plan to place crayfish traps, do it first at different distances from the land. If there are thickets of reeds nearby, it is better to place the tackle closer to it.

Large populations live near rocky jetties and bridges. There they find ready-made small holes in which they can hide in case of danger.

In light water, you should look for crayfish at greater depths than in light water, as they are very shy and try to be invisible. On average it is from 1 to 3 m deep. If the food they feed on (algae and fallen leaves) is located further away, then it’s worth moving on with the search and moving the traps there.

How to catch more?

Over 7 years of active fishing, I have found dozens of ways to improve the bite. Here are the most effective ones:

Bite activator. This pheromone additive attracts fish most strongly in cold and warm water. Discussion of the bite activator “Hungry Fish”.
Increased gear sensitivity. Read the appropriate manuals for your specific type of gear.
Pheromone-based lures.

Tips for choosing the best fishing spot depending on the season

At the beginning of the season, the number of individuals caught directly depends on the temperature. If the water is warm enough, the molting will end before the season opens, then the catch will be good at first. If the summer turned out to be cold, then best results will be at the end.

In any case, by the beginning of autumn, the crayfish will already be quite large, with a strong shell.

They become less cautious, and in the evening they crawl closer to the shore, where the water warms up well during the day. That's where you need to look for them.

Fishing conditions

Illumination of a reservoir is one of the most important parameters. It affects the speed of movement of arthropods along the bottom. If the water is cloudy and there is little light passing through it, then fishing with gear will be successful only if you set it up in the evening, around 16-17.
Times of Day. The greatest activity occurs in the hours after sunset, then declines. During the day there is no activity at all, the crayfish hide in their shelters. In this regard, it is rational to set traps in the evening, and search for and catch prey with your hands - during the day or late at night using lighting devices earlier, i.e. during the day.
The best results are achieved during extraction warm nights, when it becomes completely dark (from 10 pm to 3 am) or light rain begins to fall. On cool nights or when the moon is bright, there will be much less prey.

How to catch crayfish

Fishing is more efficient. Many experienced fishermen use rachevni. Some people make this simple device themselves, while others buy it in fishing stores. Rachevnya, or as it is also called, a crayfish catcher, is a rim covered with a fine mesh that looks like a net. The structure is kept in balance by 4 pieces of rope of equal length tied to the rim. The other end is connected to a strong thread and a long pole, with which you can lower the tackle to the bottom without losing the bait located inside.

Old lard, fresh fish meat or a spoiled animal can serve as such bait for farming; chicken liver, etc. are also suitable. Some hobbyists use frogs or shellfish as bait. The main criterion is a bad smell.

After diving to the bottom, the fish is left alone for a short time, and after a few minutes it is raised, quickly enough so that the prey does not have time to crawl away. Such actions are repeated over and over again. Experienced crayfishers advise lighting a fire at night - this also acts as bait.

Fishing with a screen. This device is a square or rectangular tackle with a side and an open top. Just like in the previous fishing method, the bait is placed inside and the tackle is lowered to the bottom. If there are a lot of crayfish in the reservoir, then take it out every 15-20 minutes, otherwise it can be left for the whole day.

Prison for crayfish. In order to conveniently hook the prey, they make a spear consisting of 5-7 knitting needles, sharpened at one end in the form of a hook. This allows you to hook an arthropod even if the knitting needles do not pierce its shell.

Ban on catching crayfish

You can’t catch crayfish everywhere and not always. Each region has its own prohibitions and are established by the Fishing Rules. Therefore, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before fishing. In Moscow and the Moscow region, for example, fishing is punishable all year round. During the season, the use of no more than 3 shells per person is allowed. The size of the mesh cells must be at least 22 mm.

Cancers to look for:
- On the muddy bottom
- On sandy and rocky shores
- Along the steep shore
- In natural depressions and burrows
- Under snags and large stones
- Near rocky piers and bridges.
It is worth catching them at a depth of about half a meter, sometimes more if the water is clear. The entrance to the hole is often covered with a branch or stone.
It is better to place gear in the evening at 16-17 hours. During the day, arthropods are inactive and hide.
The best catch is obtained in clear weather during the day, and at night in the darkest hours (from 22 to 3 am) or with light rain.
On a cold autumn evening, crustaceans come closer to the shore, up to half a meter, and that’s where you should look for them.
The best bait - fresh fish, lard, meat, shellfish and even bread are also suitable.
If you pull them out of the burrow with your bare hands, grab them by the antennae, this will help avoid injury.
When fishing at night on the shore, it is recommended to light a fire.

prostokaras.com

How to catch crayfish and where to catch crayfish - Fishing is a rest for the soul

Hi all! I decided to write an article for you about how and where to catch crayfish. Answer the questions where crayfish are found, how to catch crayfish, where they live and what crayfish eat. It's no secret that boiled crayfish are one of the most popular dishes served with a foamy drink. Crayfish meat is very rich in proteins and carbohydrates, and also has unique taste qualities. Many anglers devote their time to catching crayfish Special attention because crayfish grown in the wild are much tastier than crayfish grown on special farms.

So, in order to catch a lot of crayfish, you need to know where to catch them. Although cancer feeds on carrion and rotten fish, loves reservoirs saturated with oxygen clean water, where there is an influx of fresh water that carries oxygen. Tributaries can be streams or springs, small rivers. Also, the bottom of the reservoir is important for cancer; preferably, it should be a rocky or clay bottom. It is easier for a crayfish to hide in a rocky bottom, but in a clay bottom, crayfish dig holes for themselves. We can sum up the intermediate result: it is better to catch crayfish in rivers, since there is running water. In reservoirs where the water stagnates and does not have tributaries, you should not catch crayfish; they simply are not there. Also, you should not catch crayfish in ponds and lakes with a muddy or sandy bottom; in such ponds there is simply nowhere for him to hide and he will not live there.

It is better to catch crayfish during the day or at night

Since crayfish lead a nocturnal or twilight lifestyle, you should catch crayfish when they come out of their hiding places. The most effective time For catching crayfish, the time period is considered to be from 22-00 to 3-00. It is at this time that cancer is most active. Going out in search of food. In each area, crayfish behave differently; there are places where it is better to catch crayfish early morning or at sunset. Autumn crayfish is considered the most delicious when it gains weight for wintering. Crayfish caught in the fall are much tastier and larger than those caught in the spring or summer.

Before you go catching crayfish, find out if there is a ban on catching crayfish in your area. Some types of crayfish are under a permanent fishing ban. There is a set size for catching crayfish, this is 10 cm, the length the crayfish reaches at the age of 5-6 years. And female crayfish reach commercial size at 7-8 years of age. Not enough yet important fact at the end of June, crayfish begin molting, throwing off their shell. After the shell is shed, the crayfish hides in a hole for 2 weeks. At this time, catching crayfish is prohibited, and there is no point in catching crayfish when they sit in holes for two weeks.

Complete ban on crayfish fishing

In Moscow and the Moscow region there is a complete ban on catching crayfish. In other regions of the country it is better to inquire about the action ban on catching crayfish. In a bad case, you will be fined for caught crayfish from 50 rubles per piece. So before you go fishing, don’t be lazy and find out whether you should go catching crayfish today or wait a little.

What is the best way to catch crayfish?

Crayfish are omnivores, willingly eating both meat and plant foods. Their diet includes both small plankton snails and aquatic vegetation. Crayfish are aquatic orderlies because they do not disdain the wounded or dead fish. They also eat rotting products, preventing this infection from spreading throughout the entire reservoir. It follows from this that you can catch crayfish using both pieces of bread and meat. Here are some baits for catching crayfish.

Pieces of fresh fish, a crust of bread rubbed with garlic. Crayfish are also well caught using worms and pieces of cake. Since crayfish do not disdain rotten meat, you can put frogs with the smell or pieces of rotten meat in the shells, grasshoppers and small fish also do not show bad result.

How to catch a crayfish with a fishing rod

In order to catch crayfish with a fishing rod, you need to make a special tackle. Is concluded she's in the next one. We take a long stick about 1.5-2 meters from one edge and sharpen it so that we can stick it into the bottom of the reservoir. We tie a piece of fishing line or thin cord to the other end. To the end of the fishing line we tie a small bag of mesh fabric We put bait and a small pebble in it so that the bait is at the bottom and does not float up. We attach a small signaling float to the bag so that it signals that the crayfish has grabbed our bait. After that, once an hour we check our fishing rods and remove the crayfish catch. The crab clings tightly to the bait and holds it until you unhook it yourself. Not like this the hard way catching crayfish with a fishing rod.

Catching crayfish with shoes

No matter how funny it may sound, this type of crayfish fishing takes place. It is advisable to use shoes with laces; bait is placed in the front of the shoe and lowered into the water. Having smelled the bait, the crayfish will climb into the shoes and begin to eat the bait. All we can do is check our shoes more often for the presence of crayfish. Of course it is advisable to use old shoes. While catching crayfish, your shoes may be damaged by water.

Catching crayfish with your own hands.

You can also catch crayfish with your bare hands. But it is advisable to wear construction gloves. This method involves sticking your hand into the crayfish's holes and pulling them out. It is not so easy to pull a crayfish out of a hole, because their holes are deep and narrow. And there is always a chance to stick your hand into a muskrat hole and get quite deep wounds from bites. So catching crayfish is not so simple. In some areas this type of crayfish fishing is prohibited.

Catching crayfish with a crayfish trap is very simple.

Yes, undoubtedly, catching crayfish using a crayfish is the most common and easy way. Enough to have a small amount of crayfish traps Place them around the pond with bait inside. For example, place crayfish traps at sunset and check for crayfish in them in the morning. We collect our catch of crayfish and go home. The principle of operation of the crayfish is as follows. The crayfish trap has a narrow entrance and has no exit, and the crayfish cannot squeeze back in because the entrance is located in an inconvenient place and once the crayfish gets into the crayfish trap, it can no longer get out of it. At the same time, it is both in the trap and in the water, so that the caught crayfish will not deteriorate until the morning. We will talk about how to make a crayfish trap yourself in the very near future.

Well, I introduced you to some methods of catching crayfish. I wish you good luck with big trophies and Have a good mood. Leave your comments and suggestions for new articles.

Where and when can you catch crayfish?

Crayfish fishing can be done throughout the year, but during molting it is not recommended to hunt this arthropod due to the unsatisfactory taste of the meat. Crayfish are caught both during the day and at night, using special devices called crayfish for this purpose.

The crayfish lives in freshwater bodies of clean water, makes burrows under stones and feeds on dead fish and the remains of warm-blooded animals. In many regions, crayfish is quite common, and its fishing is allowed everywhere, but in some areas, catching arthropods is prohibited throughout the year.

Ban on catching crayfish

The ban on catching these aquatic inhabitants varies in duration; in the Moscow region there is a complete ban on catching crayfish throughout the entire calendar year. In other regions, catching this arthropod is possible only during the period permitted by local authorities supervising biological resources.

For example, in the Kursk region, crayfish fishing is prohibited from October 1 to June 30. IN Rostov region catch limits have been established for various bodies of water.

Freshwater crayfish in this region can be caught without fear of sanctions from regulatory authorities only from mid-June until December 31 inclusive; on the Tsimlyansk Reservoir this period is much shorter, from September 15 to December 31.

In the Orenburg region, the ban on catching crayfish lasts no more than 2 summer months and lasts on many reservoirs in this region from mid-June to August 15. Catching arthropods is possible only with the use of crayfish traps in an amount of no more than 5 pieces per person, and with a maximum diameter of no more than 80 cm.

Catch freshwater crayfish hands - prohibited.

What kind of crayfish can you catch?

Catching crayfish below a certain size is punishable by administrative responsibility even during the period when arthropod fishing is permitted. The commercial size of crayfish is also set for each region separately and is usually 9 - 10 cm.

For some breeds of this arthropod, there is a year-round ban, for example, in the Orenburg region, catching the broad-toed crayfish is prohibited throughout the year, and the same ban applies in the Leningrad region.

In many regions, there is a limit on the number of crayfish caught by one person. In the Krasnodar Territory, the maximum catch of arthropods should not exceed 50 pieces.

Where can you catch crayfish?

For a crayfish fishing event to be successful, you need to know where to look for arthropods. Crayfish prefers to set up their homes where the depth of the reservoir near the shore is at least 50 cm. A steep bank with a depth of up to 2 meters is an ideal place for catching crayfish.

If there are large stones at the bottom of the reservoir, then large concentrations of arthropods can also be found here. The rocky bottom allows the crayfish to make burrows directly under such natural cover.

If you place a crayfish trap in such places in which cut fresh fish is placed as bait, then at any time of the day or night the catch of crustaceans will be quite large.

Large crayfish can be caught in snags, but to install the gear, you should choose a place free from branches and snags.

Fishing periods depending on the behavior of crayfish

Cancer's nutritional needs may vary significantly throughout the day. Arthropods are most active at dusk and dawn. In summer, crayfish are caught very poorly during the day, but on cloudy days and during drizzling rain, arthropod catches can be compared with evening and morning arthropod fishing.

What time do you catch crayfish?

Crayfish can be caught at any time, but this can only be done effectively in the evening and morning hours or when the sun is covered by a dense curtain of thunderclouds. But even at this time, you can be left without a catch if you do not follow the rules for catching this arthropod inhabitant of freshwater bodies.

Experienced crayfishers advise using fresh fish to catch arthropods. It is a mistaken opinion that cancer prefers to eat only spoiled foods that have strong smell, turns out to be incorrect in practice. Cancer eats such food only if there is no opportunity to eat fresh fish.

Therefore, many fishermen combine fishing with rods and catching crayfish with crayfish. In this kind of fishing, a fish caught with a fishing rod is cut into pieces lengthwise along the body and placed in a crayfish trap. To fix the bait, use an ordinary pin, or a piece of fishing line with which a cut fish is tied.

Fresh fish is the most popular bait among crayfishers, but store-bought frozen sprat or capelin can also be used. This fish is thawed and used as bait no less effectively. Crayfish can also be attracted to the trap with plant baits. Arthropods are especially not indifferent to the smell of garlic.

If you run out of bait while catching crayfish, you can rub a piece of brick with garlic, place it in a crayfish trap, and the crayfish will definitely be in the trap after a short time. You can add this vegetable to boiled peas, which are cooked until tender, then placed in cheesecloth.

The gauze is tied to the wall of the crayfish trap, which is placed in water where the crayfish can live.

Lures and tackle for crayfish fishing

As bait, you can successfully use the meat of mussels that live in the pond. To catch crayfish, mollusks are taken from the bottom of the reservoir, the shell valves are opened and in this form are placed in crayfish traps.

There is no need to fix such a bait; the mollusks have sufficient mass to remain at the bottom of the crayfish even in a section of a reservoir with a significant current.

Closed-type shells are most convenient for catching arthropods. When using such crayfish traps there is no need for constant monitoring over the fishing gear. You can leave this device overnight and collect crayfish only in the morning next day.

This design allows you to combine fishing and catching crayfish; checking the crayfish trap once every hour is enough.

Promising places for catching crayfish are technical water structures, where fish can be injured or die due to the action of machines and mechanisms. For example, in those places where water is moved from one reservoir to another using a water pump, the number of injured small fish is always quite large.

Such places are populated by crayfish in large numbers, because arthropods can provide themselves with food throughout the entire calendar year.

Fishing with a crayfish in such places is very effective, and as bait you can use injured fish collected here in shallow water or near the shore.

For many crayfish fishermen, places of pilgrimage are bodies of water located near poultry farms. In such ponds, waste from cutting up birds ends up in the pond, which leads to an increase in the crustaceans living in the pond.

Crayfish never visit such places; they are hungry and crawl into crayfish traps only out of curiosity, but considering great amount arthropods living in these places, crayfish always returns home with a large catch.

The cost of a device for catching crayfish is small, amounting to several hundred rubles, but many crayfish fishermen prefer homemade devices to store-bought ones.

How to make a clamshell?

Making a clamshell yourself is not at all difficult; for this purpose you need the following materials and tools:

Fine mesh.
Stainless steel wire with a diameter of 3 mm.

The cone-shaped crayfish is the simplest among the devices for catching crayfish. To make it, two hoops with a diameter of 50 cm and 20 cm are made from stainless wire. A mesh is tied to the hoops so that the distance between them is about 30 cm.

A handle is attached to the smaller diameter hoop, to which a rope is then tied. The shell is tied to stationary objects in such a way that the lower hoop is at the bottom of the reservoir, and the hoop of a smaller diameter is slightly raised.

Meat, fish or offal, previously secured to the bottom of such a clamshell, are placed in such a clamshell. This design of the trap has a significant drawback: crayfish can easily get inside the device, but it will not be difficult for them to get out of it.

It is much more effective to catch crayfish using closed cylindrical traps.

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Catching crayfish. Places where you can catch crayfish

This article will talk about where you can catch crayfish. Look for a body of water where crayfish are known to be found: a lake, a river. Now the task ahead is to choose a place to catch the crayfish themselves. In theory, crayfish can be found almost anywhere in a reservoir, but we will focus on some places where crayfish are always present, with rare exceptions.

You can dive and try to catch crayfish even among people swimming, but it will be difficult to find them due to the fact that crayfish are shy and cautious - in crowded places they rarely stop by. There are also crayfish in places where there is a decent current, but there are few of them there and it is inconvenient to catch because you constantly have to make sure that you are not carried away by the current itself.

But let's focus on quieter fishing areas. Reeds. Almost every beach has places where reeds grow - this place will be just for you, since people usually don’t swim there and don’t scare crayfish. In such places, catching crayfish is good, although it is made difficult by the reeds themselves, especially when an enthusiastic catcher swims into the reeds. The tactics are simple. Slowly swim along the reeds and look carefully at the bottom, as it can be difficult to notice crayfish there due to the fact that they are well camouflaged in the reeds.

Precautionary measures. Swim carefully in or near reeds to avoid cutting yourself or becoming entangled.

Quiet pools with snags and tree roots. Catching crayfish here is a pleasure, but you need to take into account that if you don’t know what the bottom is, then it’s better not to go there at all, especially if the water is cloudy. Action tactics. Don't make any sudden movements, but catch the crayfish with confidence. From my own experience, I know that usually large old crayfish live in such places, whose shell dark brown. Such crayfish are slow and for an experienced fisherman it is not difficult to catch them. There are exceptions in the form of young crayfish in such places, but this is rare.

Precautionary measures. If you still decide to dive there, then explore the bottom carefully, without sudden movements, etc.

Rocky bottom. Where there is a rocky bottom, there are a lot of natural holes for crayfish, which like to hide in them in case of danger. Action tactics. Do not grab crayfish by the protruding claws from their burrows, as there is a high chance that your trophy will only be the claw itself; rather, grab the mustache - the crayfish always sticks them out, even after unsuccessful attempt get it. Raise the stone above the hole, but be careful not to stir up the water and thus lose sight of the crayfish, who, in turn, will have time to escape to another place.

Precautionary measures. You should not put your hands in the holes - this action can injure your hand on the crayfish. There were cases when large stones crushed the hands of catchers, and the matter ended with bruises and broken fingers.

Shell rock. The bottom in such places is completely strewn with remnants of reeds and entire colonies of river mollusks. Cancers are frequent guests in such places. Action tactics. We swim slowly and carefully examine the bottom, since crayfish can simply camouflage themselves in colonies of mollusks and remnants of reeds.

Precautionary measures. Be careful when catching crayfish in such places - you can easily cut yourself on the clam shells. Standing with unprotected feet in such places is also not recommended.

Sandy bottom. Perhaps the most ideal place for all crayfish fishermen, both beginners and experienced. The bottom is clean, the sand is fine and the water practically does not muddy. In such places you can often find the dark green hornwort plant, but not in large quantities. Action tactics. We swim and look from side to side, since visibility is good and crayfish can be seen perfectly at a decent distance.

Precautionary measures. Whichever safe place it wasn’t - always be careful, even on such sandstones the fishermen managed to get injured. Sandstone, although safe, is still...

Burrows. A separate topic for conversation. Or, if I may say so, a complete precaution. If you come across a place where a depth of 2-3 meters sharply begins immediately from the shore, then when you dive, you may find a hole in front of you, or even more than one. Remember, crayfish are rare in such holes, and the holes belong to muskrats. NEVER put your fingers in there unless you want to get seriously injured.

If crayfish make holes for themselves, they are small ones - depending on the size of the crayfish, the hole can be 4-5 cm in height and 7-8 cm in width.

Bottles and cans. A favorite place for crayfish are broken bottles with the bottom or neck left intact and tin cans (for example, from stewed meat). You can find this kind of stuff in almost any body of water. Most cans and bottles, as a rule, are not empty - they contain crayfish. Pulling out crayfish is not difficult. Action tactics. If you see a can (bottle), you lift it with the open part towards you. Cancer will not have time to escape, since he runs away “backward”, and behind his “back” is a dead end. You shake the crayfish out of its shelter either directly underwater, or surface and pull out the crayfish. If the jar (bottle) is empty, then throw it deeper into the water, leave it in place, just put it so that no one is injured, or pull this container ashore. Precautionary measures. Be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges of the jar (bottle).

That's all. I hope that this article will help you catch a large number of crayfish and help you avoid unnecessary injuries. Happy fishing.

Where to catch crayfish

Contrary to popular belief, these arthropods prefer to live in fairly clean water in rivers or large lakes, where the water has at least a slight current. If you are trying to find them in the still water of a small pond, it is a waste of time. But even in large bodies of water they can be difficult to catch. To avoid returning home empty-handed, pay attention to the following habitats:

Precipitous coast, where the depth will immediately reach from half a meter to two. In this case, the bottom should preferably be muddy or peaty. They set up their homes 20-30 cm above its surface.
rocky shore It is also a favorite habitat for crayfish. Very often they hide under large boulders and their numbers can significantly exceed the concentrations of their relatives living near cliffs. In the pre-dawn hours, you can easily pick up a dozen or so large specimens in such places with your bare hands. You need to look for them at the base of the stones, at the very bottom, since natural burrows usually form there, into which they hide in case of danger.
Backwaters with snags- a great place for a big catch, as long as you know the bottom or the water is clear enough that you can clearly see where you are stepping. Usually they contain old, large individuals.
Shell rock. Here the bottom is densely strewn with the remains of mollusk shells and vegetation, mainly reeds, among which arthropods hide. You need to be very careful not to miss your prey or cut yourself on the sharp edges of the shells. It is best to carefully inspect the surface of the reservoir’s soil, walking in special shoes with thick soles and protected socks.
Sandy bottom– has the most suitable conditions for fishing by both beginners and experienced fishermen. Fine sand prevents the water from becoming cloudy due to sudden movements, and most often there are few plants.
Burrows. Most often they are very small - up to 5 cm in height and no more than 10 cm in width. If you find larger ones on a steep bank, it is quite possible that its owner is not entirely harmless. It’s not worth diving near them, much less putting your hands into them.
Canning bottles and cans- almost all of them are not empty, but represent dwellings for crustaceans. A prerequisite for the suitability of such housing is the presence of one bottom. You can find large numbers of similar houses in almost any river or lake. If you come across such a container, then you need to lift it with the open part towards you, so that the cancer does not have time to escape.

Features of fishing depending on the choice of location

If you choose a pond with a lot of snags, you need to slowly and methodically inspect every meter.

Move carefully in search of prey, most often it has a dark brown color. These are large old crayfish that move slowly and are not difficult to catch. Young animals are also found, but much less frequently.

On a rocky bottom it is much easier to move around in search of, but the catching itself is difficult because the creature can injure your hand with its claws if you are careless. The safest thing to do is to pull it out by the antennae. They always stick out from the shelter, even if it is disturbed. You can also lift the boulder, but as carefully as possible, without sudden movements, so as not to muddy the water. Otherwise, the cancer will have time to slip away and hide somewhere else.

The sandy surface and clean water do not require any special extraction methods; you just need to look closely, looking for the next individual. You can take them by the back with your bare hands.

In almost any river, at the bends, the bank is steep, this is where you need to look for minks and establish nests. On flat banks the number of these creatures is very small. At night, they come straight to the shore, and already half a meter from it they can be pulled out. If you plan to place, do it first at different distances from the land. If there are thickets of reeds nearby, it is better to place the tackle closer to it.

Large populations live near rocky jetties and bridges. There they find ready-made small holes in which they can hide in case of danger.

How to increase your fish catch?

Over 7 years of active fishing, I have found dozens of ways to improve the bite. Here are the most effective ones:

Bite activator. This pheromone additive attracts fish most strongly in cold and warm water. Discussion of the bite activator “Hungry Fish”.
Promotion gear sensitivity. Read the appropriate manuals for your specific type of gear.
Lures based pheromones.

Tips for choosing the best fishing spot depending on the season

At the beginning of the season, the number of individuals caught directly depends on the temperature. If the water is warm enough, the molting will end before the season opens, then the catch will be good at first. If the summer turns out to be cold, then the best results will be towards the end.

In any case, by the beginning of autumn, the crayfish will already be quite large, with a strong shell.

They become less cautious, and in the evening they crawl closer to the shore, where the water warms up well during the day. That's where you need to look for them.

Fishing conditions

Illumination of the reservoir– one of the most important parameters. It affects the speed of movement of arthropods along the bottom. If the water is cloudy and there is little light passing through it, then fishing with gear will be successful only if you set it up in the evening, around 16-17.
Times of Day. The greatest activity occurs in the hours after sunset, then declines. During the day there is no activity at all, the crayfish hide in their shelters. In this regard, it is rational to set traps in the evening, and to search for and catch prey with your hands - during the day or late at night using lighting devices earlier, i.e. during the day.
Best results are achieved when mining on warm nights, when it becomes completely dark (from 10 pm to 3 am) or light rain begins to fall. On cool nights or when the moon is bright, there will be much less prey.

How to catch crayfish

Fishing is more efficient. Many experienced fishermen use rachevni. Some people make this simple device themselves, while others buy it in fishing stores. Rachevnya, or as it is also called, rakolovka, is a rim covered with a fine mesh, externally resembling a net. The structure is kept in balance by 4 pieces of rope of equal length tied to the rim. The other end is connected to a strong thread and a long pole, with which you can lower the tackle to the bottom without losing the bait located inside.

After diving to the bottom, the tank is left alone for a while, and after a few minutes they are raised, quickly enough so that the prey does not have time to crawl away. Such actions are repeated over and over again. Experienced crayfishers advise lighting a fire at night - this also acts as bait.

Fishing with a screen. This device is a square or rectangular tackle with a side and an open top. Just like in the previous fishing method, the bait is placed inside and the tackle is lowered to the bottom. If there are a lot of crayfish in the reservoir, then take it out every 15-20 minutes, otherwise it can be left for the whole day.

Prison for crayfish. In order to conveniently hook the prey, they make a spear consisting of 5-7 knitting needles, sharpened at one end in the form of a hook. This allows you to hook an arthropod even if the knitting needles do not pierce its shell.

Ban on catching crayfish

Cancers to look for:
- On the muddy bottom
- On sandy and rocky shores
- Along the steep shore
- In natural depressions and burrows
- Under snags and large stones
- Near rocky piers and bridges.
It is worth catching them at a depth of about half a meter, sometimes more if the water is clear. The entrance to the hole is often covered with a branch or stone.
It is better to place gear in the evening at 16-17 hours. During the day, arthropods are inactive and hide.
The best catch is obtained in clear weather during the day, and at night in the darkest hours (from 22 to 3 am) or with light rain.
On a cold autumn evening, crustaceans come closer to the shore, up to half a meter, and that’s where you should look for them.
The best bait is fresh fish; lard, meat, shellfish and even bread are also suitable.
If you pull them out of the burrow with your bare hands, grab them by the antennae, this will help avoid injury.
When fishing at night on the shore, it is recommended to light a fire.

The common crayfish (Astacus astacus) belongs to the group of decapod crustaceans - Decapoda. The growth rate of crayfish depends, first of all, on the composition of the water, the average ambient temperature aquatic environment, the density of habitat of relatives in the reservoir, as well as the presence of food in it. Consequently, different bodies of water require different rates of growth and development of their inhabitants.

Description of crayfish

Crayfish have a hard, chitinous covering that serves primarily as an exoskeleton. Its body includes a flat, articulated abdomen and cephalothorax, which, in turn, is divided into the head (anterior) and thoracic (posterior) zones, fused together. On the front of the head section there is a sharp spike, near which there are bulging eyes on movable stalks, long and short pairs of antennae. The latter serve as cancer’s organs of smell and touch. The eyes are complex in structure, as they consist of individual ocelli, mosaically combined into one whole. Crayfish breathe through gills.

The upper and lower jaws of crayfish are modified limbs and are located on the sides of the mouth. This is followed by five pairs of single-branched thoracic limbs - a pair of claws and walking legs. Claws are designed for attack and defense. Also on the abdomen of the crayfish there are five pairs of two-branched limbs used for swimming. The caudal fin of the crayfish is formed by the seventh abdominal segment and the sixth pair of abdominal legs. Male crayfish are much larger than females and are equipped with more bulky claws. If a limb is suddenly lost, the crayfish grows a new one - immediately after molting.

Crayfish habitat

Unlike popular opinions about the unpretentiousness of crayfish to their habitat, these underwater inhabitants require special conditions. The reservoir in which crayfish live must be fresh, since salty-fresh and salty sea water are not suitable for their development. The concentration of oxygen in water for crayfish is approximately the same as for salmon fish: in the warm season to maintain normal life crayfish need 5 mg of oxygen per liter of water space.

Besides, crayfish cannot tolerate high acidity. But for their existence, good lighting is a secondary factor. The ideal pH value would be 6.5 or more. If there is a deficiency of lime in a reservoir, the growth of the crayfish inhabiting it noticeably slows down. Despite the fact that their bodies are extremely susceptible to pollution environment, under favorable conditions, crayfish do not care where to live - in streams, oxbow lakes, lakes or rivers. However, the latter are still more popular among crayfish.

Crayfish live in reservoirs with a predominantly hard and low-silt bottom. You should not look for them in shallow water with a clean, flat bottom surface, near sandy and rocky shores, as well as on a muddy bottom, since crayfish are not able to find shelter for themselves in such conditions or dig it out. Mostly crayfish live on rocky bottoms, in coastal slopes and coastal holes, at the very border of soft and hard bottoms. Crayfish live at depths from half a meter to three. The most suitable places for habitation are captured by large males, while less suitable ones remain for weaker males and females. Young crayfish can be found close to the shoreline in shallow water, under branches, leaves and stones. Cancers lead a reclusive lifestyle. Each representative of crustaceans has some kind of shelter that protects it from its relatives. When daylight prevails, crayfish hide, closing the entrance to the hole with their claws.

Types of crayfish

Crayfish are divided into the following types:

Astacus pachypus – thick-fingered crayfish;
Astacus leptodactylus – narrow-toed crayfish;
Astacus astacus – broad-toed crayfish.

A distinctive feature of each type of crayfish is their claws., from which they got their name. Thus, the narrow-fingered crayfish has narrow, long claws, while the broad-fingered crayfish has more powerful and shorter claws. Also, crayfish differ in their habitats (for example, the narrow-toed crayfish prefers the southeastern and northern regions of the European part of Russia, Western Siberia).

What do crayfish eat?

Being an omnivore, crayfish feed on bottom organisms, plants, and sometimes devour their own relatives, especially those who are defenseless after or during shedding. In the first years of life, the traditional diet of crayfish consists mainly of plant food. Crayfish's favorite foods are snails and insect larvae (such as mosquitoes). Having reached one year old, crayfish prefer water fleas and plankton. Unlike many omnivorous and predatory animals, cancer does not paralyze its prey with poison and does not kill it, but simply holds it firmly with its claws, biting off a small piece of it at the same time, that is, gnawing it. Sometimes it takes a young crayfish up to two minutes to eat a mosquito larva.

How long do crayfish live?

Until now, no specific method has been developed to accurately determine the age of crayfish, which is applicable in this regard to fish. However, long comparisons between groups of crayfish of the same size or age groups allowed us to obtain an approximate figure for their life expectancy - about 20 years. However, it is still impossible to accurately determine the age of individual crayfish specimens.

It is only known that crayfish is a dioecious animal. Its clutch often contains up to eight hundred eggs, attached to the abdominal limbs and constantly washed with water. In this way they develop, and with the onset of summer, crayfish appear from them, which after some time begin to live a long independent life.

Benefits of crayfish

Crayfish, by their nature, are kind of cleaners of the bottom of the reservoirs in which they live. This is due to the fact that this type of crayfish, in the absence of other food, can even feed on carrion, although it is not the basis of its diet. Despite this, carrion is easy money for crayfish, which it gets without much effort, which, in turn, improves the condition of the aquatic environment. Even in the cold winter, when crayfish tend to the bottom of the reservoir to burrow into the silt, they continue to actively search for food, which is often limited to fish suffocated from lack of oxygen.